To get the latest information about the LaGrange County Community Foundation, sign up for our
e-Newsletter.
We publish our newsletter once a month with the latest things happening at LCCF: new scholarships, grants, events, awards, community happenings, volunteer information, and more.
You can sign up here.
There are many ways to integrate charitable giving into your financial planning at the end of 2021. The LaGrange County Community Foundation can help. Each of these options can help you make a meaningful difference! Be sure to make your gifts by the deadlines for a 2021 deduction (see deadlines below).
Leverage your year-end giving to endowed funds at the LaGrange County Community Foundation. The Foundation has set aside $30,000 to match gifts to permanent endowment funds. Donors can designate gifts to multiple funds; gifts will be matched one-to-one, up to a total gift amount of $3,000 per household/individual.
A gift of appreciated stock is a good option to benefit a nonprofit with a direct gift and benefit the donor with an income tax deduction and capital gains tax savings. To make a gift of stock, please contact our office at 260-463-4363. Stock gifts must be made by Monday, December 27.
If you are 70 1/2 or older, you can make a gift from your IRA account to LCCF for the causes you care about. Gifts made from your IRA (up to $100,000 per year) are not taxable income. If you are 72 or older in the year of the distribution, your gift qualifies towards your RMD. If you are married, your spouse can also make a gift of up to $100,000 from his or her IRA, for a total of $200,000.
Gifts to donor advised funds are not eligible. You can contribute to designated, agency, field of interest funds at LCCF or to the Caring Community Grantmaking Fund (the unrestricted grantmaking endowment).
To ensure that your year-end grants are sent out by December 31, the deadline for recommending grants for 2021 is 10 a.m. Monday, December 27.
All other days we will be available to serve you during regular business hours 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please note, our office closes daily for lunch from 12-1 p.m.
We invite you to contact Octavia Yoder, Executive Director, at
What can you do with $55,000? For the Knights of Pythias LaGrange Lodge no. 144 they made a last goodwill gift. The fraternal organization made the difficult decision to disband after 135 years.
The Knights sponsored Little League baseball teams, supported police departments and gave to local nonprofits. At the Corn School street festival, the Knight’s caramel apples were a favorite treat and helped fund some of their charitable endeavors.
Mahlon Bontrager, a Knight and former Community Foundation Board Member, encouraged the group to consider creating a permanent fund for the community. The timing for the Knight’s gift was serendipitous. One month before, Lilly Endowment announced a matching grant for the Community Foundation. Any gift to an unrestricted fund would be eligible for a 2-for-1 match. Inspired by the opportunity, the Knights created an unrestricted endowed fund to support community needs. What had been a gift of $55,000 now became $165,000.
Because of their generosity, LaGrange County will continue to reap the reward. Income from the fund will made available for grantmaking as directed by the Board of Directors.
“The members of our Lodge no. 144 feel very fortunate to have our donation grow and benefit several organizations thanks to the LaGrange County Community Foundation,” says Gordon Olds, a member of the Knights.
